What do you do when you feel exhausted? You want this great career. You want this great life. You are trying really, really hard to make it happen. However, you get to the point where you feel like you are in the cage of your "future" life.

I say "future" life because that is essentially what it is. You aren't working hard for today, are you? No. You are putting in the blood, sweat and tears to see that "SOMEDAY!" moment.

The problem with this is that this constant working towards the future can be very draining. Right now, I am trying to figure out how to grown my business, while completing my four-year degree, while raising four children, while trying to not drive my boyfriend completely insane. So, I lose steam often. I get inspired. I push myself to unforeseen limits. Then I flatline. You maybe living with some version of this chaos so here is what I am trying out:

Strengthen your spiritual life. I didn't say religion. I said spiritual. Your relationship with your creator and sustainer is crucial. When you are feeling all over the place, you need a safe, stable place to land.

Drop something. So, I suffer from holding-on-to-ideas-that-I-had-years-ago syndrome. If something was going to come from them. then it would have happened already. Plus, I believe in universal boomerangs! Let it go. If it was truly meant to be, it will come back to you at a more appropriate time and you will be ready for it.

Pick something up. You know that thing, that you have been wanting to do. It may not be that this is not the right time. It may be that you have some hang-up about it. You most need to get in touch with your feelings around "the thing". This mission was like that for me. I thought "Who am I to help others figure shit out when I can barely figure shit out on my own?" Easy, I am being led by some strange hand that is pulling me and pushing me at the same time. What I need to pick up to continue on this journey is finding a mentor or coach for myself. Pour into me so that I have plenty to pour out. What do you need to do to start or continue on your journey?

Have you ever referred to yourself as "people like us". Well, I have been pegged into a hole like that against my own will. A relative of mine referenced me in a statement of "us poor folk." Beyond angry at that comment, I could hardly contain myself.

Why was I so angry at that comment? At first I thought that I was angry at them for saying it. After some careful thought, I realized that I was angry at myself for allowing someone to even be able to include me. They are able to include me because I haven't given my all to my dreams and goals. They are able to include me because I lend that perception of myself that I am "poor". I was being shown to myself with that statement. If I was living my truths and according to my values, I have a nagging feeling that I wouldn't be "poor" or seen as such.

There is no doubt that people can be assholes but stop for a minute to realize that the energy you are extending out is what you get back. Every time you attempt to reach for your dreams and you retract back, people see that. Most of us don't have someone seeing this retraction as a cue to build us up. They are actually seeing how we devalue ourselves so they believe that they can. No, they are not trying to hurt you but they are not trying to encourage you either. They are in the middle. The middle is probably where you are as well which is why you don't set the standard of meeting the challenges on the way to your goal.

Where I come from, people have more fears than they do successes. They are not poor because of their monetary status but just the opposite. Their monetary status is in lack because they are poor inside. I have seen this inside myself which is why I grew so angry. I know that I am devaluing myself. I know that my state of mind is in lack. I know that my commitment to my goals are lacking. And even deeper, I know that my influence is lacking because I am not being a great role model.

For instance, if you are overweight and someone comments on your weight, it may set you off into thinking that they are attacking you. This may be but where are they getting their ammunition to attack you? They get it from the way you are treating yourself. Do they have the right to comment. HELL NO. But and however, people are not built with coin operated mouths. They don't have to do much but open and all kinds of stupid can come flying out. I'm not talking about useless gossip at all. I am mostly speaking about things that we know need to change but we are effectively ignoring it and do so until someone speaks on:

that degree that we still haven't finished

that career that we haven't tried

that book we said we would write

that weight we said we would lose

that house we said we would clean (i see you!)

My point is that people will treat you how you treat you. As rich and full bodied as my goals are, I struggle with feeling like I am enough. "Us poor folk" is used by people who don't feel worthy. And as much as I wanted to rebuke that statement, I was living that statement of unworthiness.

How can you learn from negative comments about you? How can you sift through them to understand how you could possibly be seen that way?

Energy is real. A great example is when someone is being negative in anyway, and you feel it. The room is as thick as can be and you start to feel smothered . Just as you can feel someone else’s energy, you are also giving off energy. You are also stirring some into yourself. There are days where I feel like I am bubbling and about to spill over. My first reaction was to attribute it to stress. It is possible that it is a bit of angst but I have recently learned to channel it as a positive energy. That restless feeling for me means that there is something to be done. It is calling on me to find something to focus on. Whether it is writing, researching or tending to my higher education studies. It is calling me to take action. Next time when you feel this vibration, don’t fret, just do something. Action will always be a great way to focus this energy. Just make sure that you don’t turn this into, “I’m so stressed out!” and start yelling at everyone. I see you! Be good.